Smith-Schuster was suspended for a vicious fourth-quarter block on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who was in a defenseless posture, according to the NFL's ruling.

"The contact you made with your opponent placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury and could have been avoided," NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said in issuing the suspension. "Your conduct following the hit fell far below the high standards of sportsmanship expected of an NFL player."

Ioka was suspended for a hit on Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in the end zone in the fourth quarter when Brown was deemed to be a defenseless receiver. Brown held on to the ball to score the eventual tying touchdown.

"The Competition Committee has clearly expressed its goal of 'eliminating flagrant hits that have no place in our game' and has encouraged the League office to suspend offenders for egregious violations such as the one you committed last night," Runyan said in his ruling.

With 7:10 remaining in Pittsburgh's eventual 23-20 victory over the Bengals, Smith-Schuster leveled Burfict as the linebacker pursued Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell on a 12-yard gain, then stood over Burfict as he lay motionless.

Smith-Schuster told reporters he "messed up" with the taunting, because he cost his team 15 yards.

"I was just playing to the whistle," Smith-Schuster said. "I didn't mean to stand over him. I was trying to get a big block for Le'Veon Bell for him to get upfield. The unsportsmanlike conduct is not me. I shouldn't have done that. I hope he's OK and I hope he gets better."

He also apologized in a postgame tweet.

JuJu Smith-Schuster ✔ @TeamJuJu
Want to say prayers up for my dog Ryan Shazier man we all praying for you God has a plan
JuJu Smith-Schuster ✔ @TeamJuJu
I don’t have any intentions to hurt anyone when I play football. I didn’t mean to hurt Vontez Burfict, I just wanted to throw a block for my teammate. I apologize for standing over him and that isn’t me. Praying he gets better.

After the game, Brown yelled "karma" repeatedly, then said "Touchdown Brown" will pay Smith-Schuster's eventual fine.

Asked if that comment was related to Burfict, Brown said, "I ain't talking about nobody. Karma is karma. Karma is in life. You do the wrong things, you get the wrong things out of it."

The game was also reminiscent of a 2015 wild-card playoff game between the teams thanks to the high number of penalties. The Bengals set a franchise record with 13 penalties for 173 yards. The two teams have combined for 1,088 penalty yards in their matchups against each other, including playoffs, since the 2015 season. Their 32 major penalties, such as unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct, in the same time span is nearly twice as many as any other matchup in the same period.

Man every team I start to root for has fallen apart. Typically I'm a fan of the Cowboys and Bengals, and weve seen how that's gone. I've been rooting for the Chiefs and they've fallen apart. I'm scared to start rooting for another team

Man every team I start to root for has fallen apart. Typically I'm a fan of the Cowboys and Bengals, and weve seen how that's gone. I've been rooting for the Chiefs and they've fallen apart. I'm scared to start rooting for another team

Man every team I start to root for has fallen apart. Typically I'm a fan of the Cowboys and Bengals, and weve seen how that's gone. I've been rooting for the Chiefs and they've fallen apart. I'm scared to start rooting for another team

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Please start rooting for the Eagles cause if I hear another person say "Wentzyllvania" I might just kill myself.

Boy...what a snowy mess it was in Buffalo today for the Bills game against the Colts in one of the best snow games (in terms of snow) I have seen since the New England Patriots utterly destroyed the Titans in that big snow game 59-0 back in 2009. Check it out!